Improvement in street-railways



A THOMPSON.

'lm proverhentin Street- Railways.

Patented 0m. 1,1812.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

ABEL THOMPSON, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN STREE T-RAILWAVS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 13i,9l3, dated October1, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABEL THOMPSON, of

Newark, in the county of Essex and State andwill not interfere with theordinary trav el. I make use of a tunnel below the surface of thestreet, with a'track for a locomotive; and said tunnel is divided at thetop, so as to allow of a connection between the locomotive-engine andthe car, which latter runs upon a surface-track, thereby thelocomotive-engine is out of sight, and does not frighten animals in the;street. It can be made very compact, so that the tunnel only re quiresto besmall, and the engineer can operate the engine in stopping andstarting even while sitting. There is no risk of loss by animals beinginjured 5' there is no expense of feed, harness, shoes, or pavement; andthe car is more reliably under control in stopping and starting than bythe present means and the use of horses. 7

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a cross-section of the tunnel and roadway;Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, showing the connection from the engineto the car; and Fig. 3 is an elevation, in smaller size, of the metaltruss supporting the roof of the tunnel.

The tunnel to isto be of any suitable size or shape, and is 'providedwith a longitudinal opening, 1), through the roof for the plate, rod,bar, or other connection 0 that passes fiom the engine at to the car 6.The car 0 is to be of any suitable or desired character, and runs uponthe tracks fthat, by preference, are grooved so as to be flush with thesurface of the street. The tunnel a is to be constructed in any suitablemanner, so long as it is provided with a longitudinal opening for theconnection that passes from the car to the locomotive, and with tracksfor thelocomotive to run upon and the locomotive-engine is to be of anydesired character adapted to the circumstances under which it is to beemployed. In constructing this tunnel it is necessary that thelongitudinal opening shall be so narrow as not to interfere withvehicles that may be traveling along the streets. It should not be overthreequarters of an inch wide, and the parts must be made sufficientlystrong to support passing weight. It is preferable that metallic trussesh be employed at short distances apart, placed transversely to thetunnel, as shown, and these are to be proportioned and braced to obtainthe required strength, and the longitudinal bars t, passing from onetruss to the next, connect the same, and form the sides of thelongitudinal opening. Metal plates is, and a pavement of wood, t,resting upon the same, will furnish the required strength, and the partswill be light.

The walls m of the tunnel may be of brick or other suitable material.

I am aware that a tube or tunnel has been placed beneath the surface,with a connection between a motor contained in that tunnel and the carthat runs above the surface, such as in atmospheric railways; but therehas not heretofore been a tunnel with a track for an independentlocomotive to run upon within the tunnel, and a connection from the sameto the car above.

.I claim as my invention 1. The tunnel below the railway track andstreet, provided with rails for an independent locomotive-engine, and alongitudinal opening through the top of the tunnel for the connectionthat passes from the locomotive to the car, as set forth.

1 2. A tunnel, made of transverse trusses h, open at theupper portion,and connected by longitudinal bars 1', substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

Signed by me this 29th day of February, A. D. 1872.

A. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

GEo. T. PINOKNEY, OHAs. E. SMITH.

